1. Describe the differences between specific phobias, social phobias, and agoraphobia. Specific phobias are ‘strong irrational fear reactions,’ which basically means that the person fears something excessively and tries their best to avoid contacting it, even though they know that it’s no threat or danger. These fears are usually unreasonable and irrational (in which the patient already knows), but these people are powerless to stop feeling extreme anxiety. Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a specific phobia that affects the social interactions of the person. People with this symptom feel intense fear when they are examined or negatively evaluated, even though the situation may seem nonthreatening. Although the person can recognize that their fear is somewhat excessive and unreasonable, they have no power over their anxiety. Trying not to humiliate themselves, these people often isolate themselves, disrupting their social lives. Agoraphobia is fear in going into situations or places where the person previously had a panic attack. Stuck in the fear of another panic attack, these people often seclude themselves and develop a fixed route or territory, unable to travel beyond these safety zones.
Specific phobias include social phobias and agoraphobia, all dealing with the fear of something in which the person tries to avoid contact. These phobias are usually specific (person, place, thing) and the person usually secludes themselves from the outside world.
2. What symptoms do children with generalized anxiety disorder have?
Children with anxiety disorder often do poorly in school, have less developed social skills, and are vulnerable to substance abuse. The child may exhibit discomfort in spotlight, avoidance to conversations and eye contact, mumbling, isolated, overly concerned with negative evaluations, and difficulty in speaking during class. Symptoms include sweating, stomachache, crying, tantrums, freezing, dizziness, and a racing heart.
3. Why is it difficult for individuals with panic disorder to get a correct diagnosis?
Individuals with panic disorders do not know that they have a real, treatable disorder. Because the panic attacks usually mimic illnesses, patients often are convinced that what they have is a life threatening illness. That’s why it takes them months or years of frustration to receive the correct diagnosis.
4. Describe the methods used to treat anxiety disorders.
Treatment options include: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, relaxation, and medication.
In CBT, the patient is involved with their own recovery, teaching them the skills to handle and control anxiety to use throughout their life (thinking and behavioral patterns). Cognitive therapy tries to change the unwanted and disturbing thought patterns, trying to get the patient to separate realistic from unrealistic thoughts. Behavioral Therapy tries to get the unwanted behavior under control and modified by getting the patient exposed to their difficult situations. Relaxation helps the patient develop ability to cope effectively with stress and physical symptoms that cause anxiety through breathing retraining and exercise. Medications are often used with other therapies and include antidepressants or anxiolytics (antianxiety medications) that alleviate severe symptoms that therapies just can’t treat.
Specific phobias are ‘strong irrational fear reactions,’ which basically means that the person fears something excessively and tries their best to avoid contacting it, even though they know that it’s no threat or danger. These fears are usually unreasonable and irrational (in which the patient already knows), but these people are powerless to stop feeling extreme anxiety.
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a specific phobia that affects the social interactions of the person. People with this symptom feel intense fear when they are examined or negatively evaluated, even though the situation may seem nonthreatening. Although the person can recognize that their fear is somewhat excessive and unreasonable, they have no power over their anxiety. Trying not to humiliate themselves, these people often isolate themselves, disrupting their social lives.
Agoraphobia is fear in going into situations or places where the person previously had a panic attack. Stuck in the fear of another panic attack, these people often seclude themselves and develop a fixed route or territory, unable to travel beyond these safety zones.
Specific phobias include social phobias and agoraphobia, all dealing with the fear of something in which the person tries to avoid contact. These phobias are usually specific (person, place, thing) and the person usually secludes themselves from the outside world.
2. What symptoms do children with generalized anxiety disorder have?
Children with anxiety disorder often do poorly in school, have less developed social skills, and are vulnerable to substance abuse. The child may exhibit discomfort in spotlight, avoidance to conversations and eye contact, mumbling, isolated, overly concerned with negative evaluations, and difficulty in speaking during class. Symptoms include sweating, stomachache, crying, tantrums, freezing, dizziness, and a racing heart.
3. Why is it difficult for individuals with panic disorder to get a correct diagnosis?
Individuals with panic disorders do not know that they have a real, treatable disorder. Because the panic attacks usually mimic illnesses, patients often are convinced that what they have is a life threatening illness. That’s why it takes them months or years of frustration to receive the correct diagnosis.
4. Describe the methods used to treat anxiety disorders.
Treatment options include: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, relaxation, and medication.
In CBT, the patient is involved with their own recovery, teaching them the skills to handle and control anxiety to use throughout their life (thinking and behavioral patterns).
Cognitive therapy tries to change the unwanted and disturbing thought patterns, trying to get the patient to separate realistic from unrealistic thoughts.
Behavioral Therapy tries to get the unwanted behavior under control and modified by getting the patient exposed to their difficult situations.
Relaxation helps the patient develop ability to cope effectively with stress and physical symptoms that cause anxiety through breathing retraining and exercise.
Medications are often used with other therapies and include antidepressants or anxiolytics (antianxiety medications) that alleviate severe symptoms that therapies just can’t treat.